Conservative Group Targets Michelle Nunn in Georgia

Despite the recent chest-thumping from Republicans about the party’s prospects for recapturing the Senate, one state is still giving the GOP fits: Georgia.

With a crowd of Republicans engaged in a bitter primary, Democrat Michelle Nunn has been free to raise money and court the supporters she needs to reclaim a seat now held by retiring GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

That is why Ending Spending Action Fund, an outside group devoted to fiscal restraint, is going up on the air there this week with a 30-second spot attacking Ms. Nunn for supporting higher tax rates and the 2010 health law known as Obamacare.

The ad, which is timed to run near the April 15 deadline for most Americans to file their taxes, shows the Democrat posing for a picture with President Barack Obama and reminds tax-filers they may have to pay a penalty under his new health law, if they fail to purchase insurance coverage.

Ending Spending is the first outside group aligned with the GOP to run a television ad against the Democrat, according to a media buyer who does work in the state. The super PAC, formed by TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, is putting roughly $150,000 behind the spot, a modest ad buy that is intended to draw additional scrutiny to the Democrat.

The ad refers to comments Ms. Nunn made to the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph that her top priority is reducing the federal deficit and that she is willing to “put everything – spending and revenue – on the table.” The spot also cites an interview the Democrat did earlier this year in which she told National Public Radio she supports the new health law.

“These ads are exactly the type of dishonest attacks Georgians have come to expect from our broken political system,” said Nathan Click, spokesman for the Nunn campaign. “There’s no better contrast to these attacks from deep-pocketed special interests than Michelle’s own story of working with businesses, charitable and religious organizations to make change. Georgians want leaders who will come together to create solutions, not launch dishonest political attacks.”

The big question framing this Senate race is whether Republicans will nominate a candidate who appeals to more moderate voters in a state Mr. Obama lost by eight percentage points. The Republicans have spent months fighting among themselves for the mantle of “most conservative” candidate, clawing each other in stump speeches, debates and campaign ads.

Ms. Nunn, the daughter of former Sen. Sam Nunn, is running to fill the seat her dad held for 24 years until his retirement in 1996. She raised $3.3 million last year and had $2.4 million in the bank at the end of December, according to the Federal Election Commission.

A public-opinion survey taken last August showed Ms. Nunn running neck-and-neck with two of the Republicans in the race and leading four others. With much of the emphasis on the Republican field, she has largely avoided much of the scrutiny directed at other Democrats.

The Republicans’ chances of winning a Senate majority decline significantly, if the party fails to retain this seat.

Correction: The Ending Spending Action Fund , a super PAC, financed the ad. The initial version of this article incorrectly said the ad was paid for by a related tax-exempt non-profit.

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